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Becki Willis

Plain Roots epub

Synopsis

Taryn Clark thought she’d outgrown the need to find her birth mother. She thought that a successful career and a comfortable life in the city were enough to be happy. Did she really need to know about the woman who had given her away?
Adopted at birth, her first few years were happy. But divorce, and then death, ripped their tiny family apart, and at the tender age of six, she entered the foster care system. Finding her roots seemed an impossible dream.
But dreams are resilient. An unexpected discovery awakens old yearnings of belonging to a family, of being part of something bigger than herself. Finding the brief, ambiguous note from her birth mother is enough to unfurl the ribbons of hope still binding her heart.
Her quest takes her to Lancaster County, Pennsylvania and the heart of the Plain community. Aided by her unique eye color, a healthy dose of luck, and the private investigator she hires, Taryn finds her birth family easily enough, but finding the truth is another matter. In all her musings, she never imagined a scenario where her mother might be Amish. She never imagined that the fabric of her life might be a patchwork of faith and fear, stitched together with a dark family secret.
Now she’s caught in the quicksand of a shocking discovery and the consequences of choices made, almost forty years ago. She’ll risk everything to uncover the truth and to claim the family—and the roots—she so desperately craves.

Author Biography

Becki Willis, best known for her popular The Sisters, Texas Mystery Series and Forgotten Boxes, always dreamed of being an author. In November of '13, that dream became a reality. Since that time, she has published eleven books, won first place honors for Best Mystery Series, Best Suspense Fiction and Best Audio Book, and has introduced her imaginary friends to readers around the world.

An avid history buff, Becki likes to poke around in old places and learn about the past. Other addictions include reading, writing, junking, unraveling a good mystery, and coffee. She loves to travel, but believes coming home to her family and her Texas ranch is the best part of any trip. Becki is a member of the Association of Texas Authors, the National Association of Professional Women, and the Brazos Writers organization. She attended Texas A&M University and majored in Journalism.

You can connect with her at http://www.beckiwillis.com/ and
http://www.facebook.com/beckiwillis.ccp?ref=hl. Better yet, email her at beckiwillis.ccp@gmail.com. She loves to hear from readers and encourages feedback!

Author Insight

A Letter from the Past

When Taryn discovers the first real link to her past, her old and all-but-forgotten dreams of finding her birth mother are rekindled. Just forty-five words in a brief, ambiguous note, but it's enough to unfurl the ribbons of hope still binding her heart. But is it enough to find the truth about her birth?

Book Excerpt

Plain Roots epub

To my beautiful baby girl,

I was your first mother. Please know I loved you and I loved your father, but a life for the three of us was not in God’s plans. I pray for you a good life.

You are my whole heart.

Rebecca

Taryn’s hand trembled as she stared down at the distinctive handwriting. The letters were neat and evenly spaced, the cursive styling precise. Time lent the paper a distinct yellow cast and curled its edges inward. A ripple of ink blurred one word and left the letters smudged. From a fallen teardrop?

She turned the letter over, searching for another clue. The empty expanse echoed the barren canvas of her heart.

Forty-five words summed up the whole of her lineage. One simple paragraph to explain who she was and where she came from. Pathetic little to explain this aching void in her soul.